Contact Lens Package and Applicator With Method For Its Use

ABSTRACT

A contact lens package and applicator comprises a lens cup and a lid that covers the lens cup to form a chamber for a contact lens. The lens cup has a drainage member, such as a mesh or a perforated plastic sheet, through which saline solution drains. In a first orientation, the chamber is substantially filled with the saline solution and, in a second orientation, the chamber is substantially empty of the saline solution. The lid covering the lens cup is movable between a closed position in which the contact lens is concealed and an open position in which the contact lens is accessible for direct application of the contact lens to the user&#39;s eye.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional filing of U.S. Ser. No.60/667,138, filed on Mar. 31, 2005, a provisional patent application.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to packages for the storage and shippingof contact lenses. More particularly, the present invention relates topackages having an internal drainage system that allows separation ofthe saline solution from the contact lens at the time that the lens isremoved from the package and to packages that may be used as contactlens applicators.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Soft contact lenses have become increasingly popular since they werefirst introduced in the 1970's. Due to progressive reductions inmanufacturing costs, soft contact lenses are now an attractive andeconomical choice for the consuming public. Such lenses may befrequently replaced by the consumers (e.g., on a daily or weekly basis)and do not need to be cleaned or sterilized as often as traditionalcontact lenses. Of course, the consumer desires to keep a supply oflenses on hand that is commensurate with the frequency with which thelenses are replaced. Therefore, consumer demand for disposable contactlenses has led to a need for disposable packages that are easy to useand inexpensive. The packages should be constructed to provide safestorage and shipping for the lenses. It is also desirable that theindividual packages be as small as possible, so that they may be easilyand unobtrusively stored and carried.

Contact lenses typically are packaged and stored in a hydrated state,which requires that they be sealed in packages with a storage solution.One widely-used contact lens package is the “blister pack”, which, ingeneral, comprises a rigid plastic container having a flat upper surfacewith a concave-shaped well that contains a single contact lens with aquantity of storage solution. The well is covered with a flexible coverthat is sealed along the perimeter of the upper surface. The blisterpacks are boxed for shipping and storage until a lens is needed by aconsumer. The consumer then peels back the flexible cover from theblister pack to expose the contact lens. The consumer then pours thecontact lens out into his hand, together with the saline solution, andplaces the lens on the tip of his finger for application to the eye.

A need remains for contact lens packaging systems that include a salinesolution for storage and shipping of the contact lenses, but allow thesaline solution to be separated from the lens at the time that the lensis removed from the package so that the consumer does not need to handleor otherwise come into contact with the saline solution. A need alsoremains for contact lens packaging systems that enable the consumer toapply the contact lens directly to the eye, without the need to touchthe lens with the fingers.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A contact lens package according to one aspect of the present inventioncomprises a container with a lens cup and a lid that covers the lens cupto form a chamber sized and shaped to contain a contact lens, and ahandle for manipulating the contact lens package between a firstorientation in which the chamber is substantially filled with liquid,such as saline solution, and a second orientation in which the chamberis substantially empty of liquid. Preferably, the lens cup has adrainage member through which the liquid drains into a second chamber inthe contact lens package. The drainage member preferably includes a meshor a plastic sheet having perforations therethrough. The handle andcontainer are symmetrical about a common longitudinal axis and thehandle, preferably, is substantially conical in shape with ridges on itsexterior. The handle is sized so that a consumer may grasp it betweenhis or her fingers.

A contact lens applicator according to another aspect of the presentinvention comprises a container including a lens cup and a lid coveringthe lens cup so as to form a chamber sized and shaped to contain acontact lens and a handle for manipulating the contact lens applicator.The lid is movable between a closed position in which the contact lensis concealed and an open position in which the contact lens isaccessible for direct application of the contact lens to the user's eye.Preferably, the lens cup is sized and shaped to hold the contact lens sothat a peripheral portion of the lens is exposed outside of the lens cupwhen the lid is in its open position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference ismade to the following detailed description of the present inventionconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a contact lenspackage according to the present invention in which the contact lenspackage is sealed for shipping and storage.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the contact lens package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the contact lens package of FIG. 1 in anupright and opened state.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the contact lens package of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of a contact lens package 2 according to thepresent invention is shown in FIGS. 1-4. Referring to FIG. 1, a contactlens package 2 has a contact lens container 4 and a handle 6 that ismated to the contact lens container 4. The contact lens container 4includes a shell 8 and a lid 10 that is hingedly attached to the shell 8by a hinge 12.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the shell 8 includes an interior cavity 14having a rim 16. A drainage member 18, such as a mesh or a perforatedplastic sheet, is secured within the interior cavity 14 so as to definea first chamber 20 within the interior cavity 14 and a lens cup 22 thatis formed from the drainage member 187 the rim 16 of the shell 8 and theportion 24 of the shell 8 that is between the drainage member 18 and therim 16. The lens cup 22 is sized and shaped to hold a single contactlens 26 so that the peripheral edge 28 of the contact lens 26 extendsbeyond the rim 16 (see FIG. 3). The lid 10 has a rim 30 that is sizedand shaped to fit closely against the rim 16 of the shell 8, 50 that thelid 10 and the lens cup 22 form a second chamber 32 that sized andshaped to contain the contact lens 26. A sealing strip 34 is removablyattached to the contact lens container 4 so as to secure the shell 8 andthe lid 10 to one another and to form a liquid-tight seal where theshell 8 contacts the lid 10. Preferably, the second chamber 32 issmaller in volume than the first chamber 20, which is sized to receive aquantity of saline solution 36. Still referring to FIG. 2, the handle 6is fabricated as a hollow conical piece with an open end 38. The contactlens container 4 is provided with a plug 40 at the end 42 of the contactlens container 4 opposite the lid 10. The plug 40 is sized and shaped toform a friction fit when inserted into the open end 38 of the handle 6,thereby securing the contact lens container 4 to the handle 6.

The contact lens package 2 is shipped or stored with the handle 6uppermost, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the contact lens 26 fullysubmerged in the saline solution 36 in the second chamber 32. Theconsumer flips the contact lens package 2 over so that the lid 10 isuppermost, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, allowing the saline solution 36 todrain through the drainage member 18 into the chamber 14. The consumerthen pulls away the sealing strip 34, releasing the lid 10 (see FIGS. 3and 4) and providing access to the contact lens 26. Because theperipheral edge 28 of the contact lens 26 extends beyond the rim 16 ofthe shell 8, the consumer can use the contact lens package 2 as anapplicator to transfer the contact lens 26 directly to the eye, ratherthan transferring the contact lens 26 with a finger. The handle 6 may beprovided with ridges 44 so that the consumer may securely grip thehandle 6 while manipulating the contact lens package 2 and transferringthe contact lens 26 to the eye.

The drainage of the saline solution 36 into the first chamber 20 shouldleave the contact lens 26 free of the saline solution 36. Therefore, itis preferable that the drainage member 18 be arranged to allow rapid andcomplete drainage of the saline solution 26 from the lens cup 22 intothe chamber 20. The drainage member 18, therefore, is preferably an openmesh, as in FIG. 4, although, as an alternative, a perforated sheet of ahydrophobic plastic material may be used, as in FIG. 4.

The contact lens package 2 of the present invention can be fabricated tohave a lens cup 22 with a diameter of about 2-3 cm, with its minimumdimension limited only by the size of the contact lens to be stored.Similarly, the minimum volume of the chamber 20 is limited only by thevolume of saline solution 36 to be provided. For easy handling, theoverall length of the contact lens package 2 may be about 6-10 cm. Theresulting small overall size of the contact lens package 2 allows it tobe easily and unobtrusively carried. The contact lens package 2 may bestyled to provide the same look and feel as a common item of about thesame size, such as a cologne bottle

It will be understood that the embodiment described herein is merelyexemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variationsand modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention. For example, the handle 6 and shell 8 may befabricated as a single piece with the shell 8 being open to the interiorof the handle 6. In another example, the contact lens container 4 may besecured to the handle 6 by means other than a plug. The lid 10 need notbe secured to the shell 8 by a sealing strip 34, but could befriction-fit to the shell 8. Alternatively, the shell 8 and lid 10 couldbe threaded so as to screw-fit with each other. All such variations andmodifications, including those discussed within the detaileddescription, are intended to be included within the scope of the presentinvention.

1. A contact lens package, comprising: a container including a lens cupand a lid removably covering said lens cup so as to form a first chambersized and shaped to contain a contact lens; a contact lens within saidfirst chamber; a predetermined quantity of a liquid within saidcontainer; and a handle for manipulating said contact lens package suchthat said contact lens package is movable between a first orientation inwhich said first chamber is substantially filled with said liquid and asecond orientation in which said first chamber is substantially empty ofsaid liquid.
 2. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein saidcontact lens package includes a second chamber arranged to receive theentire predetermined quantity of said liquid when said container is insaid second orientation.
 3. The contact lens package of claim 2, whereinsaid lens cup includes a drainage member through which the liquid drainsfrom said first chamber to said second chamber.
 4. The contact lenspackage of claim 3, wherein said drainage member separates said lens cupfrom said second chamber.
 5. The contact lens package of claim 4,wherein said drainage member includes a mesh.
 6. The contact lenspackage of claim 4, wherein said drainage member includes a plasticsheet having perforations therethrough.
 7. The contact lens package ofclaim 1, wherein said lens cup and said lid are sized and shaped so asto fit against each other, said container further comprising a sealingelement removably attached to said container so as to form aliquid-tight seal between said lens cup and said lid.
 8. The contactlens package of claim 1, wherein said lid is sized and shaped to fitagainst said lens cup so as to form a liquid-tight seal.
 9. The contactlens package of claim 1 wherein said lid is hingedly attached to saidlens cup.
 10. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein said handleand said container are symmetrical about an axis common to said handleand said container.
 11. The contact lens package of claim 10, whereinsaid handle is substantially conical in shape.
 12. The contact lenspackage of claim 10, wherein said handle has an exterior and has aplurality of ribs extending along said exterior.
 13. The contact lenspackage of claim 1, wherein said handle defines an opening and ishollow, said container having a plug fitting arranged so as to form afriction fit with said handle when said plug fitting is inserted intosaid opening.
 14. A contact lens applicator, comprising: a containerincluding a lens cup and a lid covering said lens cup so as to form achamber sized and shaped to contain a contact lens, said lid beingmovable between a closed position in which the contact lens is concealedand an open position in which said contact lens is accessible to a userfor direct application of the contact lens to the user's eye; and ahandle for manipulating said contact lens applicator.
 15. The contactlens applicator of claim 14, wherein said lens cup is sized and shapedto hold said contact lens such that a peripheral portion of the contactlens is exposed outside of said lens cup when said lid is in said openposition.
 16. The contact lens applicator of claim 15, wherein saidhandle and said container are symmetrical about an axis common to saidhandle and said container, said handle having an exterior and aplurality of ribs extending along said exterior.
 17. A method ofapplying a contact lens using an applicator having a lens cup and a lidcovering the lens cup so as to form a lens chamber sized and shaped tocontain the contact lens and a quantity of liquid, and a handle, saidmethod comprising the steps of: positioning the applicator in a firstorientation such that the lens chamber is substantially filled with theliquid; manipulating the handle to thereby position the contact lenspackage in a second orientation such that the lens chamber issubstantially empty of the liquid; moving the lid to an open positionwhereby the contact lens is accessible to a user, and manipulating thehandle to thereby apply the contact lens to the user's eye.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, further comprising the step of draining the liquidfrom the lens chamber into a collection chamber internal to theapplicator through a drainage member.